GENESIS   ● Chapter 16 Sarai and Hagar Gen 16:1:  Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2:  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.  3:  And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. It had been ten years since Abram and his household left their native country to dwell in the land of Canaan. Abram and his wife were advance in years; Abram being 85 years old, and Sarai, his wife, 75 years old.  Human lifespan in Abram’s days was around 180 years. Sarai, at 75 years old was approaching menopause. They had been childless since their marriage, and the promise of God to Abram that he will have a seed had yet to be realized. Surely Abram and Sarai were looking forward to have children, for children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord (cf. Psa.127:3). The longing to be a mother, to nestle and nurse a child in her arms, must have flamed Sarai’s bosom for years. The promise of Yahweh to her husband was not a thing Sarai really comprehended, much less the full significance of it. Ten years was a long time waiting for the promised seed, and the seed had not come. And now that she had a handmaid of her own, she could give her to her husband to sire her that child. [Note: Sarai’s handmaid, Hagar, was an Egyptian. Hagar was most likely a part of the many gifts given to Abram and Sarai by the pharaoh who took a liking to her, when Abram and his household entered Egypt (cf. Gen.12:16).] The Lord was dealing with the man, Abram, whom He called. Abram had the revelation of the Lord, and thus, he waited for the fruit of his patience. But the constant aggravation of Sarai for a child took the better of him and he hearkened to his wife. Sarai might have reasoned with Abram that, since she was approaching menopause, the promised seed might come through Hagar. Gen.16:4:  And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.  Blinded by his affection for his wife, wisdom was lost to Abram. Without consulting the Lord, Abram yielded to Sarai and accepted the proposal; being agreeable to the flesh. Hagar conceived and immediately her behaviour towards Sarai, her owner, changed; she despised her. Her sudden elevation from a handmaid to a wife changed her status in Abram’s household. She became proud and insolent. Hagar had crossed the line. [Note: The morals of carnal human beings are easily changed by their sudden exaltation (including self-adoration) to high places. They become full of self-importance, and are mocking and accusing towards others. Such is a manifestation of the serpentine nature that is inherent in mankind.] Gen 16:5:  And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. Sarai had plunged herself into unforeseen complications and troubles. In her disappointment, Sarai became unreasonable. She complained to Abram, made excuses, and threw the blames on him – “My wrong be upon thee”. Sarai did not acknowledge her hasty character that brought her the evils, in her “let’s help God out” mentality.  Instead she charged them to her husband, and foolishly faulted Heaven – “the LORD judge between me and thee”. How unbecoming an appeal for a vindication in her weak cause in anticipating God’s time. 6:  But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.  Abram did not dispute the matter with his wife, who was filled with jealousy and displeasure. Though Hagar was given to him as wife, and should accord his protection, Abram merely considered her as still Sarai’s handmaid. So, to that deliberation and to not further quarrel, where harsher words from his bitter wife might be uttered, Abram discharged his responsibilities and meekly said, “Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee”. Abram’s action was lawful; definitely not favorable. Forced back into the hands of her former owner, Hagar was mistreated harshly by Sarai, to such an extent that Hagar became rebellious and “fled from her face”. Sarai’s impatience had caused her to act vainly and wickedly towards Hagar. She showed no consideration to her handmaid. What Sarai sought to achieve, how Hagar behaved, and why Abram responded the way he did, made each one of them victim to their own deeds, and slaves of circumstances. Gen 16:7:  And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8:  And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9:  And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. Fleeing from Sarai, Hagar found herself in the desert on the way to Shur. Was she trying to find her solace in Egypt; to go back to the place where she came out of; and who was there to help her? Exhausted and thirsty, she sat by a well of water and bewailed her situation. In Yahweh’s providence of grace and mercy, the Messenger of the LORD reached out to Hagar and attained to her distress. He addressed Hagar by name, just as He did Adam. Notice, Hagar was not addressed as Abram’s wife but Sarai’s maid, for that was her original position. Being omnipotent and omniscient, the Messenger could just have said to her, “Hagar, go back to your mistress Sarai.” However, the Lord inquired Hagar for a response and to hear her cause; and that she might see also her own careless and thoughtless decision. “Whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go?” To the first question, Hagar responded accordingly and truthfully, “I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai”; she showed her oppression. To the second, Hagar was silent, she had no words; she knew that there was no place she really could go and call it home. And the Lord advised her concerning her duty; to return to Sarai and to fully submit to her, even if Sarai’s conduct to her be ungracious and oppressive. The choice for Hagar to return to her mistress was not a course easy to adopt, but the authoritative voice of the Lord quiet her agitating heart and strengthening her spirit. [Note: The chiding of the Lord are right and just that His creatures might be kept in their courses of living and duty. Read 1 Pet.2:13; Heb.13:17. Every true seed of God has a place in His purpose to what He appoints; and that place we shall find not by running away from what is upsetting and offensive. Though we are not lost from His eye, we are lost to our own foolish wandering mind. Trust in Him, obey Him, and our life will yet be useful and happy. Here is a quote from D. G. Barnhouse: “If we seek to change our circumstances, we will jump from the frying pan into the fire. We must be triumphant exactly where we are. It is not a change of climate we need, but a change of heart. The flesh wants to run away, but God wants to demonstrate His power exactly where we have known our greatest chagrin.”] Gen 16:10:  And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11:  And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 12:  And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. Then the Lord promised Hagar that she would have an innumerable multiplication of her descendants. He reminded her that she was with child, and that child was a son; and she was to named him Ishmael, signifying to her that “the LORD hath heard thy affliction”. The Lord revealed to Hagar that Ishmael will be “a wild ass among men”, fierce, untractable, and untameable (cf. Job 39:5-8) and that his hand is against every man; there will be an incessant state of bad blood, in which the Ishmaelites live one tribe with another; and with people of different blood and different customs, especially the Jews and the Christians. It is not just the physical Ishmaelites but also those who embraced the spirit of Ishmael down through the ages, even to this day. History has the facts. Sadly, the carnal plan of Abram and Sarai has caused much pain in human history. Gen 16:13:  And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 14:  Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. Then Hagar called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are the God Who Sees”; for she said, “Have I here seen after the vision (or, the back parts of my Seer) of Him who saw me?” (Hebrew rendition). For her to see God and live to see the sun was an issue contrary to expectation (cf. Ex.33:20). Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi.   Ishmael Gen 16:15:  And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. 16:  And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.  So Hagar returned with a submitted heart; and she bore Abram a son: “and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael”, according to the instruction of the Angel of the Lord to Hagar. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.   ~~~~~~~ ● Chapter 17